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(No Model. 8 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. D. BROOKS. flanSoldering Machine. No. 240,375. Patented April19,1881.

Fig. 1.

- Inventor: fm. h I Trim, ZIBroo/w MPETERS. Pl-low-UTNOGRAFHER.WASHINGION. I10.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

- W. D. BROOKS. Gan Soldering Machine w No. 24-9375. Patented April19,1881.

9 *2 ll M Inventor.-

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M4 PETERS PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON n c (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet3.

W. D. BROOKS.

Gan Soldermg Machine.

No. 240,375! Patented April 19,1881.

Will/warn 113F007 N-PETERs, PHOYO-LITNOGRAFMR, WASHINGTON. l5. 0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND D. D. MALLORY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAN-SOLDERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.- 240,375, dated April19, 1881. Application filed anuary 27, 1881. (No model.)

1' all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM D. BROOKS, of Baltimore, in the county ofBaltimore and State ot.Maryland, have invented a new and 5 usefulImprovement in Can Soldering Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact'description of the same.

My invention relates to can making ma- IO chines of that class in whicha series of rotating can-seats are carried upon a revolving table, whichbrings the cans successively to the flame or other appliance forfloating or soldering said cans. Ilia-ve represented the devices asapplied to the machine shown by me in the patent granted on the th dayof November, 1880, and numbered 234,948. The improvements, however, areapplicable to all machines of this class.

20 In machines of the class specified the supply of cans to the machinewhen in operation is tedious and exacting labor, and each machinerequires the constant service of one attendant to remove the cans whichhave been 2 5 soldered and replace them with cans which are to besoldezed.

Machines of the class referred to move regularly step by step, and asrapidly as the nature of the machines will permit, some of them be- 0ing capable of floating 'three thousand five hundred cans at both endsin an ordinary working day. Motion of the revolving wheel is arrested atany time only long enough to float or solder a single can, and duringthis interval a can which has been soldered must be removed from theseat at some point upon the wheel and an unsoldered can put in itsplace. This requires very rapid as well as accurate manipulation on thepart of the attend- 0 ant, and, continued during the day, is verylaborious work. Moreover, the cans, after being floated or soldered,must be removed before the metal is cooled, and they are still too hotto handle without discomfort. In addition to 5 the heat, the brightnessof the tinned surface affects the eyes of the attendant, who must watchclosely the cans as he removes them.

To obviate these difficulties, and to so lessen the labor that oneperson (who may be a boy or other unskilled laborer) may attend withcase a number of machines at once, is the object of my invention. 7 v

I have also, in order to further facilitate and quicken the operation ofthe machine, added thereto a solder-bath, whereby the end seams may besoldered more rapidly by dipping in solder.

The first part of my invention relates more particularly to theautomatic supply of the cans to the can-seats of the machine for thepurpose of floating or soldering, and to the automatic delivery of thecans from the machine after they are floated or soldered.

The second part of my invention relates to the combination, with thewheel and rotating can-seats, of devices for soldering by immersion ofthe seam of the can into melted solder, these devices being adapted tooperate in 0011- nection with those above referred to for supplying anddelivering the cans.

Certain details of construction of greater or less importance are alsoincluded in the invention, which devices are fully hereinafterexplained, and are specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereunto attached, Figure 1 represents the machine ingeneral form, sub stantially the same as in my patent referred to above,the table of said machine being in transverse section on a line with thecentral 8o shaft, with the other parts, including the automaticdelivering mechanism, in side elevation. Fig. 2 represents a part of thesame machine in like section, with the central shaft, bracket andattachments, and the can-delivering devices in side elevation. Fig. 3represents the dcliverin g devices in central longitudinal section. Fig.at shows alike transverse section of the table, with a transversesection of the can-seat, and with the metal bath in position upon thetable. Figs. 5 to 10 are details hereinafter explained.

The general construction of the machine and of all the parts by whichmotion is communicated to the table and to-the can-seats is the 5 sameas that described in my patent above specified.

Fig. 1 represents the devices for automatically discharging the can fromits seat. I contemplate locating these devices at the point upon thetable distant from the point where the appliances for soldering arelocated, equal to five-twelfths of the circumference of the table. It isalso contemplated to locate the devices for automatically deliveringcans to the disk or other can-seat at the point exactly opposite thesoldering-point. By this arrangement the can is discharged from anygiven seat at the stopping-point next to that where the can is supplied.At the point first indicated is placed a discharge-chute, 1, supportedupon a bracket, 2, which is bolted directly to the table. The inner endof the chute 1 is arranged near the path of the annular plates 8 and 9,(or other can-holder,) and opposite the space between said plates, butnot so as to, under any circumstances, be struck by them. It is made inany convenient shape, by which it is fitted to receive the can when saidcan is tipped out of its seat, and to discharge it at a convenientdistance from the machine, the chute being inclined, so that the can,when received by it, moves by its own weight.

The can is discharged by means of a tipping-lever, 3, pivoted upon astud on the table. The upper end of the lever is bent in I ward andtransversely, so as to reach behind the can when the can is in its seat,and the extreme end of the lever is extended sufficient] y to take holdof the can, and when the lever is thrown outward to eject the can fromits seat into the chute. Motion is imparted to the tipping-lever bymeans of a cam, 4, on the upper surface of the gear-wheel 5. As shown inFig. 1, the lower end of this lever extends inward over the surface ofthe said gear-wheel, andis provided at its extreme end with a verticalpin or finger, which takes behind the campiece 4.

It will be understood that the upper end of the tipping-lever must havesufficient motion to reach behind the can and to draw it quite out ofits seat. It is not necessary, however, that the tipping-lever should bedrawn out of the path of the can, sinceit removes every can at the samepoint as fast as they are presented but the motion of the lever must besuch that it is returned to its extreme inward limit before any givencan is brought into position for removal. This may be accomplished bymeans of a spring, 6, stretched between the table and the tipping-leverat some point above its pivot, this spring serving to throw the upperend of the lever in as soon as it isreleased from the cam 4. It will beborne in mind that the gearwheel 5 makes one revolution during the timeoccupied in soldering a single can. It is therefore necessary to placebut one cam-piece upon its surface to act upon the tipping-lever, and itis only necessary that this piece should be placed in such position asto commence its action in throwing out the top of said lever the instantthe can has arrived at what may be called the fifth station from thesolderingpoint-that is to say, the stopping-place opposite thedelivery-ohute. When the can has reached this point, therefore, it comesagainst the upper part of the tipping-lever and in front of its bentend. At that instant the cam-piece 4, which is carried rapidly by thewheel 5, strikes the pin upon the lower end of the lever and throws theupper end quickly outward, thus as quickly ejecting the can into thechute. After the can has thus been ejected, at the proper moment theempty can-seat advances to the next station, which is the sixth inorder, and there stops. At that point is located the delivery-chuteshown in Fig. 2. This chute (marked A) is mounted upon a bracket, 11,which is bolted to the table. The chute itself is preferably a tube, theupper part of which is cut away at the outer end, so as to readilyreceive the cans. It rests immediately upon a bed-piece, 12, whichextends forward to a point near the outer edge of the upper annularplate,9, or equivalent part of the can-seat. The chute is madepreferably of such internal diameter as to allow the cans to passfreely, but without much play, and is inclined toward the inner end, sothat the cans will move toward the machine by their own gravity.

A spring-brake, 13, is arranged on the top of the cylindrical part ofthe chute, and is adapted to press upon the upper surface of the can, asshown in Fig. 3. The brake is applied by means of the system of leversshown clearly in Fig. 2. The lever 14 acts directly upon a yoke, 15,which is connected to an upper crosspiece, 17 by means of a rod, 16,upon each side. These connecting-rods pass through ears 18 on the sideof the tubular portion of the chute. A stem, 19, is connected to thecentral part of the upper cross-piece, 17, and carries the brake 13 uponits lower end. The lower part of the stem 19 is square, and passesthrough a square hole in the boss upon the upper side of the chute. Thebrake, when up, rests in a cavity in the upper part of the chute fittedto receive it, and allows the cans to slip freely through the tube. Theupper end of the stem *19 passes freely through the cross-piece, so thatthebrake is applied by the pressure of the cross-piece acting upon aspring, 20, which bears upon a collar, 21. This collar rests upon ashoulder on the stem, so that as the cross-bar 17 is brought down theforce is transmitted through the spring and collar to the brake. Thespring is interposed for the purpose of bringing a yielding pressureupon the can and preventing any indentations.

In front of the fixed part of the chute is a movable part, 22, made openon the upper side, and pivoted at its front end at the point 23 in thefront end of the piece 12. This movable part 22 is exactly fitted toreceive the can, which lies snugly therein, but allows it readily tofall out when the part 22 is tipped, as shown in Fig. 2. Proper tippingmotion is given to the movable part 22 by means of link 24, connected tothe main lever 25. To this link is also connected, by means of a pin andslot, the lever 14, which operates the brake, so that the brake isapplied at thesame instant that. the movable part of the chute istipped. As the reverse movement brings down the movable part of thechute and at the same time lifts the brake, a second stop mechanism isnecessary in order to prevent the forward can from sliding prematurelyout of the movable part of the chute and lodging upon its side in thecanseat. This stop mechanism consists of a gate, 26, pivoted on the endof the lever 27 and passing through a transverse slot in the piece 12,and in the bottom of the movable chute. The lever 27 is pivoted in aslot in the bed-piece 12, and is connected by a link to the upper end ofthe lever 24. It will be understood, therefore, that the lever 27, whenmoved by the link 24, strikes the free end of the pivoted chute 22 andthrows it upward, while the same motion puts on the brake 13 andretracts the gate 26. The inclination of the movable chute should besufficient to tip the can into its seat. As the pivoted chute returns toits position on a level with the fixed part, which, as before stated,happens when the brake is removed, the gate 26 is thrown up through theslot and stops the forward can, which is moved forward byits own weightto that point. The whole movement is effected by the lever 25, which atits inner end is bent so as to extend overthe table, where it isconnected to a rod, 28, which passes down through the table and isoperated by a cam upon the lower face of the wheel 5, which acts uponthe bent end of the said rod and draws it down at the proper moment.This cam is placed upon the wheel 5, so as to act upon the lever 25 atthe instant when the empty can-seat has stopped opposite the mouth ofthe delivery-chute.

As the cans are tipped by the movable part of the deliverychute intoplace, itis necessary to provide some means for preventing them fromfalling out upon the other side. This is accomplished by means of theguard 30, fixed to the rear part of the upper annular plate, 9, or tothe rim 44, Fig.4. This guardis of proper shape to receive the can andto steady and guide it to its seat. It is made lowerthan the can,asshown in Fig. 1, so as to give room for the tipping-lever to pass aboveit.

It will be borne in mind that the can-seat, which consists of a thinsheet-metal rim, as fully described in my said patent, is a little belowthe lower surface of the annular plate 9, so'as to leave a part of theside of the can exposed. It is therefore necessary, both for receivingand discharging the cans, that this can-seat should be elevated. I haveprovided, therefore, devices for both these purposes similar inconstruction, and shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 1 the device for elevating thecanseat in order that the can maybe readily tipped out consists of a lever, 31, pivoted in a short poston the table. This lever is provided with a rod, 32, which extends undera cam, 33, on the wheel 5, which cam operates in the same manner as thatdescribed for mov-- ingthe lever 25, operating the delivering mechanism.It is located opposite and acts at the same time with the cam 4, whichmoves the tipping-lever. Alike lever, 34, (shown in Fig. 2,) raisesthe'can-seat into position for receiving the can. This lever isconnected by alink to the lever 25, and operates at the same time withsaid lever.

It will be understood, of course, that .the spider must be lifted fromthe topof the can before it can be discharged, and mustalso be lifted inorder to receive the can. This is accomplished by substantially the samemechanism as that shown in my patent heretofore specified. But as thespider in front of the delivery mechanism in every instance requireslifting at the same time as thatin front of the discharge mechanism, Ihave provided a pron ged lever, (shown in Fig. 6,) one prongserving forone spider and the other for the other. The short end of this leverbooks under the inclined face of the same cam,35, which operates thebrake mechanism.

The brake mechanism is applied to the canseat both in receiving anddischarging. It is the same as that shown in my said patent, and the onechange necessary is that the cam 35 is so arranged as to apply thebrakes both at the discharging and supplying points.

I have shown in Fig. 10 a modification of the devices for rotating thecan-seat and for giving it the required elevation in order to receive ordischarge cans, by which modification the brake mechanism heretoforeshown may be omitted. In this modification the pinion 36, which isrotated continually by the beveled gear (3, is fixed to a sleeve, 37,supported by means of its collar 38 in the bracket 39. The can-seat isfixed to a spindle, 40, which passes through the sleeve 37 and throughthe pinion, projecting for some distance below. The canseat is rotatedby frictional contact of the wheel 4i with the collar 38, and obviouslyit can be rotated only when the can-seat is depressed. The organizationof the machine as now made by me requires that this can-seat shall beelevated only at the points where cans are to be discharged or received,and those are the only points where the rotation should be arrested. Bythe construction shown in Fig. 10 it is only necessary that the spindle40 should be raised in order both to elevate the can-seat and to arrestthe rotation, the rotation ceasing as soon as the surfaces of the parts38 and 41 are separated. The spindle 40 may be raised either by alever,as shown in Fig. 10, or in any other convenient way.

The devices heretofore referred to for soldering the cans are thosedescribed in my former patents.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a method for applying asolder-bath to awheel-machine, whereby the rotation of the cans, heretofore necessary inorder to present every part of the seam to the flame, is made to presentevery partofsuch seam successively to the bath of melted solder.

In this figure, D represents a cup supported upon a bracket, 42, uponthe table. The shape of the cup is shown more clearly in Fig. 5, inwhich the bottom part of the cup 43 is represented as concave beneath,and of thin metal, so that the'solder may be kept in a liquid state bymeans of the flame playing against said concave bottom. The cup issupported, as shown in Fig. 4, so as to bejust below the path of thering which incloses the can about the can-seat. This ring (shown at 44)is supported upon a bracket in the same manner as the annular plates inthe other figures. It is intended to take the place of said plates andto operate in connection with the solder-bath used instead of the flameapplied directly to the cans. The can-seatis arrested when opposite thecenter of the cup D, and is lowered by means of a lever, 45, so as todip the seam on the lower side of the can as inclined into the solder.The can is inclined as usual, and while rotated solder is sweated intothe seam in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. As shown insaid figure, thespecial modification of the can-supportin g devices hasbeen provided to admit of the depression of the can so as to bring theseam into the solder. The spindle 46 passes freely through the hub, butis fixed to the pinion in the usual way. The can'seat is turned byfrictional contact with a collar, 47, fixed upon the spindle 46. Thecollar is separated from the hub by a spring, 48, so that the spindlemay be drawn down to lower the can-seat by con'ipressing the saidspring, the pinion being made sufficiently wide to allowit to bedepressed without getting out of gear with the wheel (J. The spindle isdrawn down by means of the lever 45 acting upon a button on the lowerend of the spindle 46. The lever is operated by a rod, 49, which ridesover the cam 50 on the gear-wheel 5, which cam is so located andconstructed as to depress the seat at the instant when it arrivesopposite the solder-cup, and to hold it depressed while in thatposition. As the wheel 5 revolves once during the time while the canseatis opposite the soldering-point, the cam 50 should extend three'fourthsof the way around the surface of the wheel 5, which will givethree-fourths of the time for the revolution of the can in the solderand one-fourth for the elevation of it while it is passing out andanother taking its place. It will be understood thatthe spring 48 holdsthe can elevated when not thus acted upon by the cam 50.

It will be observed that the mechanism which draws down the spindle 46is fixed upon the table in this form of the mechanism at thesoldering-point. Directly, therefore, the can-seat leaves thesoldering-point, it is no longer acted upon by the lever 45, but remainsup through the action of the spring 48. It is therefore adapted tooperate in connection with the discharging and receiving mechanismwithout the special elevating devices heretofore described, and when thecans carried by this mechanism arrive at the points specified thespiders are raised and the receiving and discharging mechanisms act uponthe can in the raised position in which it approaches. The guard 30 isfixed to the back part of the ring 44, and acts in the manner heretoforedescribed.

In connection with the bath, I use a cup for the can-seat in place ofthe thin metal flange or ring described in my former patent. The cupshape is necessary in order to permit the seam to be immersed in thebath. To prevent adhesion of the solder to the surface of this cup Imake it of porcelain or some equivalent material, so that no solder willadhere thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is-- l. The combinationof a revolving wheel carrying rotating can-holding devices with anautomatic delivery-chute adapted to deliver cans to the said holdingdevices, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a revolving table and rotating can-holdingdevices, of a discharge-chute and-ejector, whereby the can isautomatically sciaarged, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the revolving wheel of a can-soldering machineand with rotating can-holding devices mounted on said wheel, of anautomatic can-discharging device and an automatic supplying device,whereby soldered cans are discharged and unsoldered cans supplied,substantially as described.

4. The chute A, supported in an inclined position, in combination withthe tipping part 22, the brake and gate, and means, substantially asdescribed, for automatically operating such brake and gate.

5. The combination of the brake in the chute A and the lever 14connected therewith with thechute 22, lever 27, connecting-bar 24, andan operating-lever, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the chute A, the tippingchute 22, a cam on thegear-wheel 5, and connections, substantially as described, by which thechute and gate are automatically operated.

7. In combination with mechanism, substantially as described, fordelivering cans to the can seat, mechanisms, substantially as described,for automatically lifting said seat.

8. The combination of the can-seat, the spindle carrying the same, andadapted to move vertically in the bracket, with the can-deliveringdevices and mechanisms for raising said spindle, substantially asdescribed.

9. The combination of the spindle 40, carrying the rotary can-seat, thesleeve 37, fixed to pinion 36, and having collar 38, the wheel 41,

and bracket 39, and mechanism for lifting said spindle, these partsbeing adapted to arrest rotation and assist in discharging the can, andto operate in connection with discharging or delivering devices,substantially as described.

10. The dischargech'ute 1, in combination with the tipping'lever 3 andmechanism for lifting and arresting the rotation of the canseat,substantially as described.

11. In combination with a series of rotating IOC can-supports V mountedon a table, and with broad pinion, the bracket, collar 47, and springmeans for raising and lowering and bringing 48, and the mechanism fordrawing the spindle them in succession to any given point, a soldercupfixed in position to permit the seam of 5 the can, when lowered, to beimmersed in the solder.

& 12. In combination with the solder-cup D, 1 the ring 44, supported onthe bracket, and the can-seat rotating and lifting mechanism, the

10 same consisting of the spindle 46, fixed to the down, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subz 5 scribing witnesses.

WILLIAM D. BROOKS. Witnesses:

E. A. DIo F. L. MIDDLETON.

